Tout n'est pas perdu --- All Is Not Lost

Tandis qu'un hôpital à Gaza brûle après avoir été ciblé par les forces armées israéliennes, je lis cette lettre ouverte de groupes israéliens intéressés par le maintien des droits de l'homme. Dieu merci pour ces traces de lucidité en Israel... tout n'est pas silence ou violence.

While a much-needed hospital in Gaza is burning after having been hit by missiles from the Israeli army, I am reading this open letter by some Israeli human rights groups. Thank God for these traces of lucidity in Israel... all is not just silence or violence.

"Since the beginning of the campaign in Gaza on December 27, a heavy suspicion has arisen of grave violations of international humanitarian law by military forces. After the end of the hostilities, the time will come for the investigation of this matter, and accountability will be demanded of those responsible for the violations. At this point we call your attention to the clear and present danger to the lives and well-being of tens of thousands of civilians.

The level of harm to the civilian population is unprecedented. According to the testimony of residents of the Gaza Strip and media reports, military forces are making wanton use of lethal force which has to date caused the deaths of hundreds of uninvolved civilians and destroyed infrastructure and property on an enormous scale. In addition, Israel is also hitting civilian objects, having defined them as "legitimate military targets" solely by virtue of their being "symbols of government."

Caught in the middle are 1.5 million civilians in extreme humanitarian distress, whose needs are not being adequately met by the limited measures taken by the army...

This kind of fighting constitutes a blatant violation of the laws of warfare and raises the suspicion, which we ask be investigated, of the commission of war crimes."

Participating organizations:

Adalah - The Legal Center For Arab Minority Rights In Israel, Amnesty International Israel Section, Bimkom - Planners For Planning Rights, B’Tselem - The Israeli Information Center For Human Rights In The Occupied Territories, Gisha - Legal Center For Freedom Of Movement, Hamoked - Center For Defence Of The Individual, Physicians For Human Rights - Israel Public Committee Against Torture In Israel, Yesh Din - Volunteers For Human Rights.

Source Fédération internationale des ligues des droits de l'homme, 14 janvier 2009

photo gato azul

Et vous? Avez-vous dit «non»?
And you? Have you stood up and said «no»?